Struggling with warranties

Solar panel problem

Our blog followers who faithfully have read all of our 2015 posts, most likely have observed several referrals to sea temperatures. From May, coinciding with arriving in the Canaries, we happily observed a steady increase of sea temperature as measured by the sensor also reading depth and speed. When we reached 30 C sea temp, we finally started to get skeptical so checked with our old-fashioned thermometer we use in the fridge. To our horror the real (we hope) temperature was more like 24-25 degrees. A couple of weeks ago the instrument read 50 C…..

Great news, we thought, was that we signed up for extended 3 year warranty when we replaced our old B&G instruments 2013, so we thought we could relax and wait for a new sensor. Well, the last two weeks we have struggled with the Swedish agent, the EU distributor, the Spain mainland distributor and the local, Lanzarote Company that only acts as certified installer to sort out disclaimers and restrictions in warranty scope. It seems “it’s not over until the old lady sings” is about to happen, but likely with a cost to us related to freight (Spain mainland to Lanzarote), customs expedition/admin (?), and Canaries VAT. Equals in total to 40% of the initial sensor costs.  I now feel much more sympathy for sailors stranded in more remote places than Canary Islands, struggling with vendors obligations, customs, logistics etc. Worth mentioning – the sensor is a standard item I could buy in any marine chandlery store in most marinas in the Canaries. Until we get the goods we will not use this blog for “bad press” directly naming the manufacturer. Anyone who want to know the brand, send us a comment or mail.

On the same warranty claims topic, we seem to have a happy ending with our Sunbeam solar panels. After a season we noticed the solar panels outer layer started to flake. After a quick call to the Viking yachting Chandlery in Gothenburg, the same day we got the green light, two new 100W panels got shipped to us. No bureaucracy, no fuss, no delays, only one party communication, not the “double tennis game” we experienced with the depth/speed/temp sensor companies. Great aftermarket service scores to both Sunbeam and Viking Yachting!